GREATER NEW YORK.

HE Commissioners appointed, under chapter 311 of the Laws of 1890, to inquire into and report upon the consolidation of certain areas about the port of New York into one municipality, respectfully report: That during the nearly five years that have passed since their appointment, they have given much time and attention to the work assigned to them.

It was only at the session of 1894 that the passage of the act to submit the question of consolidation to the arbitrament of the electors was secured.

These electors, availing themselves of the provisions of this act, have given their verdict in favor of union.

The Secretary of State certifies the official result of the ballot as follows:

It will be seen that every municipality proposed by the Commissioners for union has declared in its favor, with but two exceptions, the towns of Flushing and Westchester, the vote in the former of these towns being 1,144 for and 1,407 against, and in the latter there appears a majority of one against. Taking the total vote throughout the area of the Greater City, there stands the decided majority of 44,188 in favor of consolidation, and it is not to be left unobserved that the great municipality that offers the chief advantages of union is unmistakably favorable to it.

The popular will having been thus expressed, it remains for the Legislature to determine the terms and conditions upon which effect shall be given to it. The great diversity of civil jurisdictions already established by law-legislative, executive, and judicial, each at work in its own way-within the area proposed for the Greater City is but rarely understood, and their respective functions are often ill-defined and imperfectly comprehended.

A few statistics are subjoined to give some idea of the complexity of affairs with which we have to deal:

The Assessed Value of

Real Estate for 1893.

154,100.51*117,982 50.

New York.. 4,186,119.96 1,801,739 63. 1,562,582,393 370,936,136 38.85 24,864.

Kings... 1,114,886.36 995,276 68.4 518,501,441 19,704,920

.....

Queens.....

77.51 49,606.40 50,672,499 2,377,860 123.98 79,347.20 19,750,376 162,950 57.19 36,601.60

82,802,083 2,277,956 20.24 12,953.60

Westchester.

242,119.41 29,412 51.

* Includes the whole town of Hempstead.

Includes only the whole towns of East Chester, Westchester and Pelham.

Debt of New York County, sinking fund deducted, $105,784.549. 12. The debt of Kings, Queens, Richmond and Westchester counties cannot be authentically ascertained. Entire State tax for the whole State is $9 253.702.88.

As things now are, counties, towns, incorporated villages, school districts, officers and boards, with their varied powers and duties, wheels within wheels, issue their mandates, contract debts, devise and execute each its own plans.

Were this complicated condition confined to the preservation of order and peace, and to affairs not involving physical undertakings, the untoward consequences might pass away with the lapse of time, leaving no traces other than great expense and discomfort.

When, however, it comes about that the numerous agencies employed in this confused condition are applied to and act upon material works, it will readily be seen that the results, becoming fixed, are projected into the future with continuous cost and discomfort to succeeding generations.

To fuse these multifarious powers, duties and functions-involving, as they do, the conveniences, the necessities, the nearest interests of three millions of people—into a unit of governmental care and control is a task of no ordinary dimensions.

The suspension or disturbance of the varied machinery of administration, now operating within the area to be united, until other agencies are provided, will inevitably bring confusion, litigation, and possibly further damaging consequences.

To provide, then, the methods and means for the transfer from existing conditions, complicated as they are, to those more simple and direct, without shock or injustice or injury to persons or property, there may well be employed the utmost forecast, the widest experience, and the most conscientious and painstaking application.

While the Commissioners would gladly see this transition promptly effected, they are of the opinion that the details involved in the transfer, so far as they